The Bard's Tales: Promethean Heat
by BuggyQ
Summary: Zedd has a close encounter with a Mord Sith, and Kahlan and Richard get more than they bargained for when they go to his rescue.
1. Chapter 1

The Bard's Tales: Promethean Heat, Chapter 1

_Okay, so this is the first of what I expect will be an extended series of stories inspired by my "A Winter's Tale," the title of which sparked an unexpected series of plot ideas. This was the one that jumped out first. Jumped out, slapped me upside the head, shook me, and stomped on my feet till I started writing it. My head is a scary, scary place._

_For those who've read my other work, this is quite a bit more angst-ridden than Cypher's Seven or Water Under The Bridge._

_Set shortly after Cypher's Seven, which is post-Mirror, and before Cursed._

_Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine (with the exception of Raythe, Kharvath and Anson), I can't make money off them, so I'm going to become a bowling shark to support my review-crack habit._

_Summary: Zedd has a close encounter with a Mord Sith, and Kahlan and Richard get more than they bargained for when they go to his rescue._

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It was a bright, sunny morning, and Kahlan was enjoying their trek for a change. They hadn't had any encounters with D'Harans since Hamilton, and she'd felt lighter in spirit since their success there.

Zedd, however, was complaining incessantly. He'd been stung by ants the day before when he'd unwittingly sat on an anthill, and judging from his mood, he was still suffering. Kahlan bit back a smile, remembering how he'd jumped. _Who'd have thought such a tall man could move so fast?_

"Richard! Kahlan! Wait, I have a rock in my shoe!" he called after them as they were climbing a small hill beside a craggy rock outcropping. There were several small cave openings, which Richard noted as they passed. _Good hiding places, if we needed them_, he thought.

Kahlan looked back. Zedd had sat down and was shaking out his boot. _Which, given the size of the boot, could take a while_, she thought, amused. There was a flash of light in her eyes, and Kahlan looked past Zedd, trying to figure out what she'd seen. Her eyes widened--there were D'Haran soldiers pouring out of a cave right behind Zedd. The bright morning sun was glinting off their drawn swords.

"Zedd!" Kahlan cried, starting back towards him at a run. He looked up sharply, and turned, but the wrong way. By the time he'd realized where the threat lay, one of the D'Haran soldiers had clubbed him savagely across the head with the butt of a crossbow. Zedd fell and lay still, and Kahlan skidded to a stop, as she saw dozens more D'Harans coming out of the trees.

"Zedd!" Richard yelled, and started past her, but Kahlan grabbed for him. Without Zedd to help them, they were hopelessly outnumbered.

And that was even before Kahlan saw the Mord Sith come out of the cave, approach the fallen wizard, and look up at her, smiling. She raised her agiel in a salute.

"Run!" Kahlan yelled, pulling Richard back.

"What?" he yelped. "What about Zedd? We can't just leave him!"

Kahlan wrapped her arm around him and half-pushed, half-pulled him away from the approaching soldiers. "We're no good to him if the D'Harans capture us, too! Richard, come on!" She had a sudden, horrible sense of déjà vu and realized the scene was frighteningly similar to the dream she'd had just before Richard was captured by Denna. She forced the thought away roughly.

"But--!"

"Richard, there's a Mord Sith!" Kahlan said, dragging at him, and finally he started to follow her, though he was still looking back at their fallen friend. Kahlan was more worried about the D'Harans who were now running up the hill after them. "We'll get help. We'll get him back, I swear!"

Richard made a strangled sound of frustration, and turned and ran with her. They fled headlong through the forest, hearing the crashing sounds of the D'Harans at their heels. _How long can we keep ahead of them_? Kahlan worried, glancing back as she ran. She gasped as she tripped over a tree root and nearly fell. Richard caught her arm and hauled her up, and they slid down an embankment into a broad meadow. An arrow flew by, narrowly missing her shoulder.

They sprinted across the meadow, gaining some ground, but Kahlan wasn't sure it would be enough. But to her surprise, as they were a few yards from entering the forest on the far side of the meadow, arrows began flying past them--but this time from in front of them. They skidded to a stop, diving down to avoid the missiles that flew over their heads…

...And began hitting the D'Harans following them. Kahlan looked up in amazement as a ragtag contingent of fighters streamed out of the trees and engaged the surprised D'Harans. She and Richard exchanged glances, then scrambled up and joined the fight.

At first she was worried there weren't enough of them to stop the D'Harans, but the archers in the trees tipped the balance. Soon, they outnumbered the soldiers.

Kahlan had just taken down a soldier when she heard a cry of fear behind her and turned to see Richard knocked backwards by a D'Haran soldier. He fell hard, his sword flying from his outstretched hand.

"Richard!" Kahlan yelled, running toward the downed Seeker. She hit the D'Haran with her shoulder, knocking him backwards and away from Richard, then followed to slash his throat as he tried to get up. He fell, mouth working soundlessly, and Kahlan turned back to help Richard to his feet.

Kahlan reared back in shock. It wasn't Richard.

It certainly looked like him. His hair was a little lighter, the eyes more hazel than her Richard's deep brown, but the shape of the face was eerily similar. As she looked at him, though, she realized there wasn't the magnetism about him that Richard had, that made her conscious of Richard's presence even when she couldn't see him.

Kahlan shook herself. _Not now. There are still D'Harans to deal with_, she told herself. She reached down and grabbed the man's arm, pulling him to his feet.

"Thanks," he gasped his eyes wide.

Kahlan nodded, and then focused her attention on finding the real Richard. He was off to her left, fighting two D'Harans, but he seemed to have the situation well in hand. The other Resistance fighters were finishing off a few individual D'Harans still fighting.

Kahlan smiled in relief as she recognized one of the Resistance fighters--it was Devlin, the man who'd helped them rescue Chase's family from Giller's keep. He was pulling his sword from the gut of a fallen D'Haran. He looked around, and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the last D'Haran fall under the sword of the Seeker.

"Devlin!" Kahlan called, and the Resistance fighter turned, smiling.

"Kahlan! It's good to see you!" he said, walking over to her. "And thanks for the morning workout."

The man who Kahlan had mistaken for Richard joined them. "Sorry for the confusion," he said. "It's not the first time I've been mistaken for the Seeker. Though I have to say I enjoyed it more this time than usual." He grinned at her. "I'm Anson Rhys."

"I appreciate the assistance," Kahlan said to both him and Devlin. "It's lucky you came along when you did."

"It's the least we could do for the Seeker and the Mother Confessor," Anson said. He took her hand and bent over, kissing it.

Kahlan raised her eyebrows in amusement. "A very noble gesture, Anson," she said, extricating her hand. "But your charm won't work as well on me as it does on other women. After all, I've spent the last several months with the real thing." She nodded at Richard, who was approaching as he sheathed the Sword of Truth.

Anson laughed out loud. "Well, you can't blame a man for trying, can you?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she smiled slightly, her eyes twinkling.

Richard joined them. "Thanks for the help, Devlin. But I'm afraid we're going to be asking you for quite a bit more than this," he said, clasping Devlin's arm, though he was looking sidelong at Anson, unsure what to make of him. "We have a problem."

Devlin frowned, glancing back at Kahlan. Her smile had been replaced by a worried expression that matched Richard's. "Well, it never does any good to hear bad news on an empty stomach," he said. "Come back to our camp. We'll talk about it there."

**********

In the woods just outside the meadow where the Seeker was talking with the Resistance fighters, Jarvin R'el Kharvath looked on. He was surprised to notice one of the Resistance men was a mirror image of the Seeker. He watched as the man bent deeply over the Confessor's hand, kissing it.

_Interesting_, Kharvath thought. _I wonder…_ He smiled slyly, and kept watching, looking for the best time to cast his spell. They looked like they were getting ready to leave, and when they turned to go, there was a moment when the Seeker was unobserved by the others.

Kharvath chanted quickly, his hands raised, and a green vapor emanated from his hands. It flowed quickly across the ground, easily missed in the bright sun, and twined around the Seeker. There was a brief flare of green around him, and he looked around, startled, but the flare had already faded.

_Did it work?_ the sorceror thought uneasily. But it didn't matter, really. _If it works, it's a small distraction. If it doesn't, well, Mistress Raythe doesn't need to know…_ He shuddered at the thought of the Mord Sith, and scuttled away.

Richard glanced around again, wondering what it was he'd seen, but couldn't see anything to explain it. The others were already leaving the meadow, and he shook his head, running to catch up.

**********

Zedd came to briefly, lying on the ground inside a tent. His hands were bound, he was gagged, and his head was pounding. He heard a noise behind him, and tried to turn his head to see what it was, but the movement sent him back into darkness.

The dark-haired Mord Sith looked down at the unconscious wizard, tapping her agiel in her palm in agitation. "Bring me the soldier who struck the wizard," she ordered the soldier at the tent opening.

"Yes, Mistress Raythe," he said, and scrambled to follow the order.

Raythe sighed, frustrated. She turned to see Kharvath enter the tent. "Well?" she said impatiently.

"I followed them. They met up with a group of Resistance fighters, and they killed the soldiers chasing them. But I may have good news," he said, licking his lips nervously. "There was a man with the Resistance fighters who looked very much like the Seeker."

"How is that good news?" Raythe said witheringly.

Kharvath cringed. "I may have--" He broke off at the sound of scuffling outside as a soldier was brought into the tent.

Raythe shoved Kharvath aside roughly and stepped close to the soldier. "What do you see there?" she asked him, pointing down at Zedd.

The soldier looked confused. "I…I see the wizard, Zeddicus Z'ul Zorander, Mistress."

Raythe nodded. "Of course you do. Unfortunately, that's not what I see."

"Mistress?"

She raised her agiel, and his eyes widened, following its path. "I see a useless lump of flesh," she said slowly. "I can't train a useless lump of flesh, can I?"

The soldier swallowed hard.

"Your ineptitude has left me with nothing to do until he," she nodded down at the wizard, "regains consciousness. So what will I do to fill my time?"

Kharvath slipped out of the tent as the soldier's screams reverberated through the camp.

**********


	2. Chapter 2

Promethean Heat, Chapter 2

Disclaimer: They aren't mine (except for Anson and a bunch of cannon fodder), so don't sue me for treating them so badly.

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Later that morning, Kahlan and Richard sat with the others around a small fire in the Resistance camp. Richard explained what had happened to Zedd.

Devlin looked grim. "They'll take him to the D'Haran camp before they transport him further," he said. "It's about ten miles west of here."

Richard poked savagely at the fire with a stick. "We have to get him out of there, Devlin. I know what a Mord Sith can do." There was a shadow over his face as he said it, and Kahlan touched his arm lightly in concern. He glanced at her and smiled reassuringly.

Devlin was shaking his head. "There are a hundred men in that camp, Richard. I don't have nearly enough men to stage a raid, even a simple hit and run. Not at three to one odds."

"Are there any other Resistance groups nearby?" Kahlan asked.

"No," Anson said sadly. "We've been hit hard the last few weeks. What you see here is everything within a week's ride."

"We don't have to beat the whole camp," Richard said. "We just need to keep them occupied long enough to give me a chance to get in and free Zedd."

"Who's being guarded by a Mord Sith," Devlin pointed out.

Richard's face fell. "What we need is the sort of distraction a wizard could give us," he said glumly.

"Wait," Kahlan said. "Richard, we still have the fake Sword of Truth we got from Clayre and Frytss."

Richard looked at her, frowning. "What does--?" he began, and then his eyebrows went up as he began to see where she was headed with this. He smiled, nodding. "I always thought that would come in handy. Especially now that we have a man who looks an awful lot like the Seeker." He tilted his head toward Anson.

"I'd say that'd be a pretty big distraction," Devlin said. "We hit the D'Harans from one side, with the Seeker leading the charge…"

"And when they go after that Seeker, we hit them with another attack from the opposite side, with another Seeker," Richard continued.

"And in the confusion, I go in after Zedd," Kahlan said, nodding. "I think it's our best shot. But it's a big risk, especially for you, Anson. The D'Harans will throw everything at you."

Anson nodded, smiling warmly at her, even though he felt a chill of fear at the thought of what he'd be facing. "I didn't sign up for this to sit around in camp. Count me in." She smiled back, relieved that he was so willing to take the risk.

"It's not exactly a cakewalk for you, either, Kahlan," Richard said, sounding worried. "There's still the Mord Sith. She won't be easily fooled, and she'll be expecting an attack."

Kahlan looked over at Devlin. "I'll take Devlin and a couple of his men with me. If the Mord Sith is there, I'll keep her busy while they get Zedd. The minute he's free, I'll get clear."

Richard frowned, not happy at the idea of Kahlan taking on a Mord Sith by herself. "No crazy risks?" he said.

She raised her eyebrows. "No more than you take," she promised archly.

Devlin snorted. "If we're really going to do this," he said, "we'll need to know more about that camp. I can't afford to be wandering around looking for Zedd in every tent while you three are holding off the entire D'Haran camp. We'll have to get in and get out as fast as possible."

Richard nodded. "Then let's take a look."

**********

Richard and Kahlan crawled up a small rise near the D'Haran camp. A small rock outcropping at the top provided reasonable cover for them to observe safely. At least, that's what Richard was hoping.

"That line of trees there," Kahlan whispered, pointing off to the left. "I think that's the best spot for Anson's attack. It's the closest you can get to the camp with cover for a large group."

Richard nodded. "And that side over there is the best we can do for my attack," he said. He was pointing at another line of trees on the opposite side.

"I don't like it," Kahlan said. "You're too exposed for too long. That's at least fifty yards of open ground."

"True," Richard said, "but Anson will be keeping them occupied. I think we can do it, especially if we go in before dawn. The dark will give us almost as much cover as trees would. And it's not like we have a lot of other options."

Kahlan sighed, scanning the camp, looking for signs of a prison. That was the crucial part—the attack wouldn't do them any good if they couldn't get Zedd out fast. _But where are they holding him?_ she thought. All the tents looked the same, and there weren't any permanent structures.

"Wait, Kahlan, there!" Richard was pointing at a tent near the center of the camp. The Mord Sith had just come out, followed by a pair of soldiers dragging another soldier's limp body between them. There were two other D'Haran soldiers outside as guards. "I'd say that's a likely spot."

Kahlan nodded, memorizing the location. _Fourth tent in from the outside, in the middle of the east side. It would be the hardest part of the camp to get to_, she thought. _I hope our diversion works._ At least the woods were relatively close to the east side, so they could have horses close for a quick getaway. "I'd say we know enough. Let's get back to Anson and the others."

They scrambled back from the edge, then turned and headed back to the clearing where they'd left their horses. "You like him, don't you?" Richard said as they walked.

"Anson?" Kahlan said, surprised. "I…wait, there's no way I can answer this that won't get me in trouble, is there?" She'd expected her echo of his words to elicit a laugh, but Richard didn't seem amused. Kahlan frowned, but then Richard held up his hand, looking around. Kahlan froze, listening, and then heard a faint sound of metal on metal. _Chain mail_, she thought. She glanced at Richard, who nodded almost imperceptibly at a thicket a few yards ahead. He edged to the left, and she moved quietly in the opposite direction. She came up behind a tree, and peeked around.

There was a D'Haran soldier looking right at her. He yelled and ran at her, raising his sword. She stepped back, raising her daggers, and met his assault, sweeping his sword to the side with one dagger, slashing his throat with the other. She heard the ring of swordplay behind her and knew Richard was in the fight.

Another D'Haran ran toward her, followed by three more. _If it's just a patrol_, she thought, _then there can't be much more than ten men_. She kicked the first man in the gut, and used her momentum to duck under the attack of the next man, stabbing upwards into his stomach. She shoved him back into the other two, and she flung one dagger into the throat of the nearest man. She turned, meeting the attack of the man she'd kicked, letting his thrust pass her and clubbing him over the back of the head as he lunged forward. The remaining man was struggling to get out from under the writhing soldier who'd landed on him. Kahlan ignored him for the moment, trying to see where Richard was.

He was surrounded by four soldiers, with two already dead at his feet. But there was another creeping up behind him. But before she could call out a warning, there was a yell. "Death to D'Harans!" Anson cried, striking down the soldier behind Richard. He skidded recklessly to a stop just behind the group surrounding Richard. They looked back at him, confused. "Not so brave when you're facing the true Seeker, are you?" he said.

_Laying it on a bit thick, there, aren't you, Anson?_ Kahlan thought, almost laughing. But it seemed to be working. Two of the soldiers turned to face him, leaving Richard with the remaining two.

Kahlan turned back to deal with her last soldier, who'd finally gotten out from under his now-dead compatriot. This one seemed a little more wary, but it didn't do him any good. He stepped forward, ready to attack, then staggered, falling forward, and there was an arrow in his back. Kahlan looked up to see Devlin, who grinned at her over his crossbow, nodding.

She nodded back, and turned to help Richard and Anson, pulling her second dagger from the throat of the dead soldier as she went. But they were already done, or near it. Richard turned and cut down the last soldier as Anson was pulling his sword free of another.

"Thanks again," Kahlan said as Devlin rejoined them. "You seem to be spending a lot of time getting us out of trouble."

"I'd say we have pretty good evidence that our diversion is likely to work now," Devlin said, nodding at Anson.

But Anson wasn't looking at Devlin. He was staring over Kahlan's shoulder. "Kahlan!" Richard shouted, and she turned, but Anson had already run through the soldier who'd been ready to strike her down.

_The one I clubbed over the head_, she thought, disgusted with herself. _Sloppy, Kahlan_. "Thank you, Anson," she said, clasping his shoulder and giving him a grateful smile.

He nodded, breathing hard. Neither of them noticed the hard look Richard gave them.

"Did you get what we needed?" Devlin said.

Richard jumped slightly, startled, and nodded. "Let's get back to the camp. We can talk about it there—I don't want to risk running into another patrol."

**********


	3. Chapter 3

Promethean Heat, Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Still not mine, but love them anyway. I know it's slow yet, but we're building to something, so be patient…it's like the big hill at the start of the roller coaster. I hope. A really dark, not very pleasant roller coaster. Okay, I'll admit it—I hate roller coasters...

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After returning to the camp, Richard and Kahlan laid out what they'd seen. They spent the rest of the afternoon going over every aspect of the plan, till Kahlan was worried they were overthinking it. "I think we have it," she finally said, looking pointedly at Richard, and nodding at the setting sun. He'd seemed particularly uneasy about it all, and she didn't want him worrying the others.

He looked at her, frowning slightly, but nodded. "Get some rest, everyone. We'll leave just after midnight." The rest of the group broke up, Devlin heading off to restring his crossbow, leaving Kahlan, Richard and Anson by the fire. Richard still seemed to have pent-up energy, and he finally stood up, grabbed an empty waterskin, and headed off toward the river.

Kahlan watched him go, wondering what it was that had him so edgy. _Is he still angry with me over leaving Zedd in the first place?_ He had to know it was the right decision, especially now that they had so much help. Or was it something else? _I wish I could read him as well as he seems to read me_.

"It's clear you have feelings for him," Anson said, studying her face.

Kahlan looked over at Anson, startled, having forgotten that he was there. Then she realized what he'd said, and smiled faintly, knowing her feelings showed every time she looked at Richard.

"Is it true, what they say about Confessors?" Anson said tentatively.

Kahlan looked at him, knowing exactly what it was he was asking. She nodded. "If I were to ever act on my feelings, he would be Confessed," she said bluntly, surprised to find herself talking about it with a man she barely knew, but it was almost a relief. And there was one thing about Anson that was even more like Richard than his appearance--he was easy to talk to. "I can't let that happen."

"I can't imagine what that must be like—for both of you," he said, shaking his head. "And to carry that burden along with the struggle against Rahl…"

"Actually, that's the one thing that makes it bearable," Kahlan said, smiling wryly. "We spend so much time running and fighting, we don't really have time to think about much else."

Anson laughed, but he was still looking at her perceptively. "It doesn't always work, though, does it?"

Kahlan looked at him, her smile fading. "No. Not always." She fell silent, thinking of the times she'd nearly lost control—the first time they'd kissed, in the crypt with Kieran and Viviene, when she'd been under the Con Dar… _Just once, once in my life, I'd like to be able to let go_, she thought, suddenly frustrated.

"Well, we'll just have to find other ways to take your mind off it," Anson said, standing up abruptly.

Kahlan looked up at him, raising her eyebrows.

Anson looked at her, and realized how many ways that could have been interpreted. "I mean, we…we have a fiddler in the camp," he stammered, blushing. "Perhaps some dancing?"

**********

Richard came back from the river, carrying the newly-filled waterskin, and was surprised to hear music in the camp. Someone was playing a lively tune on a fiddle, and there was laughter. He walked toward the center of the camp, and saw Kahlan and Anson holding hands and spinning wildly in a circle as the music rose to a climax. The fiddler finished with a flourish, and Kahlan spun away from Anson, her hand to her chest, breathing hard and laughing. Anson walked to her, laughing as well, and said something Richard couldn't hear, his hand reaching out to her…

Richard turned back to the forest, feeling unaccountably angry. _How could she? When Zedd could be dying, for all we know?_ He kept replaying the scene in his mind, Anson putting his hand to her cheek, whispering to her… _She can't really be interested in him, can she?_ That thought sparked another flood of anger.

"Richard!" Devlin said, looking up in concern as Richard stalked back toward the edge of the camp. "What is it?"

Richard glared at him, looking for some outlet for his anger, but he restrained himself. Devlin didn't deserve to be the scapegoat for Kahlan's—_what_? he thought. _It was dancing. That's all_. Richard stopped, hands clenched, trying to find some way to release his fury.

"What's going on, Richard?" Devlin said, coming closer.

"It's Kahlan," Richard said, and Devlin was shocked at the bitterness in his tone. "She was dancing…with Anson."

"Dancing?" Devlin said, glancing toward the crowd by the fire. "Well, Adar is a good fiddler." Richard looked at him like he was an idiot. "I mean, it isn't often we have women in the camp, and--" Devlin stopped, realizing what he was saying was only making things worse.

"She certainly seemed to be enjoying the attention," Richard said in a growl.

Devlin shook his head, unable to understand what was going on—this wasn't like Richard. "Richard, she loves you." He stepped forward, putting his hand on Richard's shoulder and looking hard into his eyes. "She loves you. A little dancing doesn't mean anything."

Richard shook off Devlin's hand. "But tonight, of all nights--"

"Richard, listen, everyone's nervous. If Anson hadn't thought of having Adar play, I might have. We need everyone at their best so we can get Zedd back. He needs you," Devlin said, hoping that might distract him from his anger. "If you keep thinking about this, you'll just wear yourself out. And if you make a mistake tonight, Zedd doesn't stand a chance, and a lot of my men will get killed. I need you to focus on that, Richard."

Richard took a deep breath, his jaw still clenched, then nodded sharply. "Okay," he said, letting the breath out. "You're right, I'm overreacting. It's just--"

"I know," Devlin said, looking past Richard to see Kahlan looking at them in concern. "You've both been under a lot of pressure. I don't know how you do it. I'd have cracked a long time ago." He smiled reassuringly at Kahlan. Richard noticed the look and turned to see her.

"I'm going for a walk," he said, turning away. He stalked off into the forest, and Devlin sighed, seeing Kahlan's confusion at Richard's behavior.

"Is something wrong?" Anson asked Kahlan, seeing her eyes follow Richard out of the camp.

"I don't…" Kahlan said, and stopped, not wanting to worry Anson further. "I don't think so," she said firmly. She turned and smiled at him. "Thank you for the distraction. It did help."

But there was an air of apprehension about her that made Anson wonder just how much good it had done.

**********

"Awake, are we?" Raythe said, entering the tent where Zedd lay. She removed his gag, and waited for a response.

_Barely_, Zedd thought, unable to keep his eyes focused. The Mord Sith above him was a maroon blur. _Which_, he thought vaguely, _is probably a good thing. _He debated whether to try to answer her. _Under the circumstances, perhaps silence is the best option_.

Raythe knelt next to him, looking into his eyes. It was clear he wasn't recovered. She doubted if he'd stay conscious if she breathed on him, let alone used the agiel. "I'm sorry you're not feeling well," she said sadly. "I had hoped we could get to know each other better tonight, but…" She stood up again, and regretted her decision to kill the soldier so quickly. She sighed. "That will just have to wait a little longer." She turned to Kharvath, who was hovering behind her. "What can you do?"

"Me?" he said. "I…I'm no healer."

Raythe stared at him. _Stupid little man_, she thought. "Did I ask if you were a healer?" she said icily. "What can you do?" She punctuated each word with a tap of her agiel on her hand.

He swallowed. "I can try to…speed…his recovery?" Kharvath said uncertainly.

Raythe nodded and patted him on the head. "You do that," she said. "If he isn't ready to train by dawn, I'll need…" she paused to let her words sink in, "…other entertainment."


	4. Chapter 4

Promethean Heat, Chapter 4

Disclaimer: They aren't mine, except for Anson, Raythe, Karvath and assorted redshirts. Now we're to the exciting bits for the action fans out there…

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At midnight, they set out under a waning moon toward the D'Haran camp. Kahlan smiled at Richard encouragingly as they rode, but he just glared at her, the moonlight only accenting the darkness of the look, and turned away. _What did I do_? she thought, remembering how he'd looked at her the night before. She shook her head. _Maybe he's just worried about Zedd. Spirits know I am,_ she thought, shuddering at the memory of Richard in Denna's hands. _We'll get him out_, she told herself. _We have a good plan. It'll work._

She glanced to her right, where their ersatz Seeker was riding. He smiled at her, and she had a momentary flash of all the things that could go wrong for him, and felt guilty at putting him in such danger. _It'll be all right_, she told herself. _Just focus on what you have to do—Richard will keep them safe_. She looked back at Richard, and realized he'd been watching her look at Anson. His frown seemed even deeper, and his jaw was set. _And when it's all over, we'll get all this out in the open,_ she thought uneasily.

**********

There was a sound from the east side of the camp as Raythe left the wizard, and she raised her head alertly, walking a few yards down the space between the tents. There were shouts, and the sound of metal on metal. _They're coming for him_, she thought. But there didn't seem to be very many, judging from the sounds. _A diversion_, she thought. _So that's not where the Seeker will be. Oh, no, indeed_. She debated whether to warn the captain in charge, but thought better of it. _No, we'll let their little diversion work…and then the Seeker will be mine_.

She turned and walked back to where Zedd was being held. She glanced inside, where Kharvath was hovering over the wizard. "Watch him!" she said harshly to the soldiers outside the tent. "Unless you want to end up like your friend, you won't let him get away."

"Yes, Mistress," the nearest one said, terrified.

Raythe strode off into the pre-dawn darkness, but didn't go far. She stationed herself in the shadow of a nearby tent and waited for the Seeker, smiling in anticipation.

**********

Anson charged toward the camp, yelling wildly. A few D'Harans stumbled out of their tents, grabbing for weapons. He swung at the nearest, connecting, and yelled, "Bring me the wizard, or feel the wrath of the Seeker!"

The archers in the treeline were firing steadily, and Anson was particularly glad of it when one of their arrows took down a soldier about to take his head off. _I may look like the Seeker_, he thought, his eyes widening, _but I sure don't fight like him_. He swung at another soldier, who blocked the strike, and Anson kicked him hard in the gut. _Just a few more minutes_, he thought, _and I'll order the withdrawal_.

Kahlan had been emphatic about his not taking risks with the lives of his men. "Don't be a hero," she'd said, and he was finding it very easy advice to follow now that he was in the thick of the battle. He'd never seen so many D'Harans at once, and they seemed to be swarming out of their tents like ants from an anthill.

He looked around to make sure his men weren't straying too far into the camp. He didn't want to lose any of them in the retreat. But he needn't have worried--none of them were being too aggressive. _They're all as scared as I am_, he thought, fending off another D'Haran attacker. _How did I get into this mess?_

**********

Kharvath looked down at the wizard, his heart pounding. _You had to be a wizard_, he thought to himself. _You had to do magic, but did you ever learn anything useful? No. You should have paid more attention…_

"If you untie my fingers," Zedd said raggedly, "I might be able to do something for myself." _And from the sound of things outside, the more I can do for myself, the better the chance I have of getting out of this pickle,_ he thought.

"Are you insane?" Kharvath said. "If I--"

"If you don't produce a functioning human being in the next few hours, you know what she'll do," Zedd growled, trying to ignore the pulsing pain in his head. "I couldn't do much more than a simple healing spell right now, man. But from the sweating I can hear you doing, I'll wager that's more than you can do."

Kharvath glanced back at the entry to the tent, making certain Raythe was gone, then again at the wizard. He bent down and began unlacing the ties binding Zedd's fingers. "I'll warn you, I may not be good at the healing arts, but I know some powerful magic," he blustered. "If you try anything--"

"If I try anything," Zedd said dryly, "my head will explode. Just shut up and help me." _Stupid little man_, he thought.

Kharvath finished untying Zedd's fingers in silence, wondering what was going on outside. It sounded like a battle. _Keep watch on the wizard_, he told himself. _He's the thing you have to worry about right now. Don't take your eyes off of him for an instant_.

Zedd wiggled his fingers tentatively, trying to restore feeling, and then wishing he hadn't as feeling returned with a vengeance. He chanted weakly, eyes closed, the drain on his energy making his head pound even harder, but as the spell progressed, the pain eased. He opened his eyes, and he could actually focus. _That's a start_, he thought, looking up at the worried face of the man who'd freed him. _What on earth is Rahl doing employing this pathetic excuse for a sorcerer?_ he thought.

**********

Kahlan heard the attack begin, and began counting. _29…30…_ "Let's go," Kahlan whispered to Devlin. They crept forward from the trees, keeping an eye out for sentries, but the plan seemed to be working. There weren't any D'Harans in sight. They slipped into the first line of tents, and Kahlan peeked around the edge, looking down the wide space between them. No D'Harans. _Please let our luck hold_, she prayed.

They passed the second line of tents without incident, but as she began to cross the avenue beyond the third, a D'Haran came out of the tent next to her. She dove for him and was able to cut his throat before he could make a sound. She shoved his body back into the tent and waved Devlin and the other two on.

They came up on the fourth line of tents, and Kahlan crept forward, keeping low to the ground. The sentries were still in front of the tent. Kahlan looked back at Devlin, nodding, and he came up beside her. _One…two…three_, she mouthed, and they sprang around the edge of the tent. Kahlan knocked the first soldier away from the opening and charged toward the second, counting on Devlin to finish the first. She shoved the soldier's sword aside as he raised it and drove her dagger into his chest. She looked up and saw another group of soldiers running toward her down the avenue. She glanced back at Devlin, who'd just dealt with the first soldier, and whispered, "Get Zedd out of here! I'll deal with these."

He nodded, though with a hint of reluctance, and waved the other two men into the tent. Kahlan turned and ducked under the sword of the first soldier, driving her dagger deep into his stomach. She shoved him aside and whirled, driving her boot hard into the knee of the second soldier, who fell, clutching his leg. She blocked the attack of the third soldier, and vaulted over the dead one to give herself more room, and to draw them away from the tent she prayed had Zedd in it. The third soldier came at her again, and she grabbed his arm as he thrust his sword at her, yanking him past her and down, and she turned and plunged her dagger into the back of his neck.

She looked back toward the soldier with the shattered knee and saw Devlin finishing him off. But he was looking at something behind her, his eyes wide. "Kahlan, look out!" he yelled.


	5. Chapter 5

Promethean Heat, Chapter 5

Well, gosh, thanks for the reviews, everybody! Now I know how to get a quick response. Heh, heh, heh… Really, though, thanks. You made my night. So now you get a cookie…

Disclaimer: They still aren't mine, I'm still making no profit off them. Are there bowling lanes in the Midlands? If not, there should be. Everybody should bowl.

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Richard watched from the treeline, trying to see what was going on through the dim early morning light. It was almost impossible to see anything, but he could certainly hear it. It sounded like Anson's attack was doing exactly what it was supposed to do. Richard felt a surge of anger, and had to restrain himself from launching his attack too soon. _We have to give the D'Harans time to respond to that attack before we hit them_, he told himself firmly.

He looked across the field at where Kahlan and her team were ready to move. He thought he saw a hint of movement, but it was hard to tell. _She should be moving by now_, he thought, and looked back at his men. "Get ready," he whispered. "And stay quiet till we get to the camp--I don't want their archers hitting us if we can help it."

He looked back toward the camp, and raised the Sword of Truth. _Wait_, he thought. _Wait_… He counted slowly to ten, and then stood and charged forward.

**********

Zedd heard sounds of a scuffle outside, and the sound of a body hitting the ground.

"Kahlan, look out!" Zedd heard someone cry.

Kharvath whirled, and Zedd waved his fingers, a blue light lancing from them to the back of Kharvath's head. He stiffened, then fell backwards on top of Zedd, his elbow hitting Zedd's head--hard.

_Brilliant_, Zedd thought an instant before he lost consciousness again. _Some help you turned out to be. Spirits, protect her.._.

"Wizard?" the man said, rolling the unconscious Kharvath off Zedd. "He's here," he turned back to Devlin to say. "Help me!"

**********

Anson heard the sound of fighting coming from the other side of the camp, and so did the D'Harans he was fighting. _Thank the spirits_, Anson breathed silently. Several of the D'Harans who were pressing them hard turned to face the new threat, and Anson waved his men back. They pulled back toward the trees, his archers killing the few D'Harans who followed.

Once in the trees, Anson gathered his remaining men. _Only two lost_, he thought, pained by the loss but relieved it was so few. "Right, I want you to circle around to the other side of the camp, keeping to the trees. When Richard and his men fall back, I want you to give them cover. Once they're safe, you head for the rendezvous. Make sure to cover your tracks."

They nodded. "What about you?" one of them asked, frowning.

"I'm going to go help the Confessor," he said.

**********

_So much for luck_, Kahlan thought as she whirled to face whatever it was Devlin had seen, but it was too late. Even as she turned, she felt the agiel hit her side, and she fell to her knees, crying out from the searing pain. She flung herself to the ground, desperately trying to get away from the source of that agony. She was able to get free, and scrambled backwards, holding her side with one arm, struggling to get to her feet before the Mord Sith hit her again.

"Kahlan!" Devlin yelled.

"Devlin, no! I'll be fine! Follow the plan!" Kahlan yelled, keeping her eyes on the Mord Sith. She wasn't as chillingly beautiful as Denna, and she was also older. There was a hardness about her that seemed somehow more appropriate for a Mord Sith, and yet was, oddly, less frightening than Denna's almost childlike appearance had been.

"Kahlan Amnell. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Though I'll admit, I was hoping for the Seeker." She stepped forward, tapping the agiel against her palm and tossing her dark braid back over her shoulder. "But I've heard so much about you. Now I get to see how much of it is fiction."

_Arrogant fool_, Kahlan thought, feeling a tent pole at her back and using it to climb to her feet. _You should have pressed your advantage. Now maybe I have a chance_. Kahlan watched as the Mord Sith approached.

"What, no words of defiance?" she said. "Come, tell Mistress Raythe what you're thinking."

Kahlan didn't bother answering. She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the echoes of pain radiating along her side, and waited for the attack. She didn't have to wait long.

"Nothing?" Raythe said. "How disappointing. Well, then, I suppose I'll just have to do all the talking." She lunged forward, swinging the agiel in from the side, and Kahlan blocked it with one dagger and drove the other at the Mord Sith's neck. The woman was able to grab Kahlan's wrist, though, and held it in a viselike grip, digging her thumb into the tendons, trying to get her to drop the dagger.

Kahlan kept her focus on the agiel, blocking strike after strike. One slipped through, hitting her in the hip, and Kahlan almost fell, for a moment unable to even see because of the pain. "Did you know the hip is one of the most sensitive points in the human body?" Raythe whispered, smiling sadistically. "It took years of study to learn that."

Somehow Kahlan was able to force the agiel away, but Raythe still gripped her wrist painfully, and Kahlan couldn't get clear. Another series of blows, and another hit, this time against her thigh, and Kahlan's leg buckled. She cried out again, unable to help it, and the Mord Sith twisted her captive arm painfully as she fell to one knee.

"You should have left the wizard to me," Raythe said, bending close, her face sinister in the torchlight. She dug the agiel harder into Kahlan's leg, forcing another scream of pain from the Confessor. "Now you'll learn obedience from me yourself."

**********

Richard ran forward, breaking into a yell as he passed the first line of tents. There was a small group of D'harans in front of him, running toward where Anson's men were attacking. But they turned as they heard him. He didn't give them time to react, crashing into them, scattering them like bowling pins. _Kahlan would be furious with me_, he thought, slashing wildly around him, cutting down one soldier after another. _But I'm betting she's taking more risks than I am_, and he felt a wave of resentment at her for that. He felt a surge of power run through him, through the Sword of Truth, and realized his anger was feeding the power.

_All right, if it's anger that works_, he thought, and let the fury build. He was a whirlwind, cutting through D'Haran after D'Haran, none able to stand against him. He faltered once when he realized he'd just cut down a man who'd dropped his sword, but even that wasn't enough to stop him. _I wonder if this is what it feels like for Kahlan when she's in the Blood Rage_, a tiny part of him thought, but the thought was drowned out by his roar of defiance as another wave of D'Harans came at him.


	6. Chapter 6

Promethean Heat, Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Still not mine—except for Raythe. (Didja notice how the show's writers like to name characters so they sound like one thing, but are spelled completely different? Isn't that annoying?)

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_It's only a matter of time, _Kahlan thought clearly in spite of the agony that threatened to overwhelm her._ She's going to take me_, and then knew that for Richard's sake, she could not let that happen. She felt a surge of anger and twisted her arm, catching the agiel against the hilt of her dagger, forcing it up and away from her leg. _Don't stop_, she thought, driving the dagger and the agiel both in an arc up and across as the Mord Sith reared back, and the dagger point drove into the arm holding her wrist.

Raythe cried out in anger and pain, and Kahlan's arm was free. She slashed desperately at the Mord Sith, who tried to duck away, but couldn't completely avoid the attack. A bright ribbon of white skin contrasting with red blood appeared through a rent in the leather covering Raythe's stomach.

Kahlan lunged forward, off-balance because of the pain in her leg, forcing herself to continue. _I can't let up or she'll just wear me down. I have to finish this __now_. And now Kahlan had a tiny opportunity, with both hands free to strike. She rained down blow after blow on the Mord Sith, who was able to block them at first, but then Kahlan was able to get past her guard, slashing deep across her thigh this time.

She fell to one knee, but drove her agiel at Kahlan's leg. It was only a glancing blow, but it was enough to send Kahlan to her knees as well, gasping in pain. Raythe readied the agiel for another strike, this time swinging it for Kahlan's throat.

Before it could hit, Kahlan swung her dagger hilt up and into the Mord Sith's face. Her head rocked back, and before she could recover, Kahlan's second dagger sliced through the thick leather at her throat. Raythe fell backwards, the agiel falling to the ground, blood gushing from the wound, barely visible against the maroon leather.

**********

"Richard!" one of the Resistance fighters yelled. "We have to get out of here! There are too many!"

Richard ignored him, striking blow after blow. He'd only felt such power once before, when he was fighting Ranssyn Fane, but then he'd been inexperienced. Now, he knew how to use it, and the D'Harans were finding out just how formidable the Seeker could be.

He focused his fury on the D'Harans, taking down one soldier after another. He didn't know how many he'd killed, but they were starting to pull away from him, focusing their attacks elsewhere.

"Richard, stop!" There was a hand on his shoulder, and he turned, ready to take off the head of whoever had grabbed him. He stopped himself at the last instant, recognizing one of Devlin's men. "We have to go," the man said, holding up his hands defensively. "We can't take them all down."

Richard looked around, and realized that his band of men was on the verge of being surrounded. He clenched his jaw, then ran for the woods. "Fall back!" he yelled, slashing at the nearest D'Haran. "Fall back!"

**********

_I did it_, Kahlan thought, breathing heavily as she knelt next to the fallen Mord Sith, watching to make certain she wasn't going to get up. _I actually defeated a Mord Sith_. But she was too tired to feel much pride in the accomplishment. She turned to see where Devlin and the other men were. The space between the tents was full of dead D'Harans, but no sign of her men. She tried to get up, but her leg wouldn't hold her weight, and she fell to one side, catching herself hard on one arm.

Devlin and the other men came out of the tent, and the two behind Devlin were holding Zedd up between them. _Thank the spirits_, Kahlan thought, _we weren't too late_. Devlin looked over at her. "Kahlan!" he shouted, and looked like he was about to come after her with Zedd in tow.

_Get up_, Kahlan thought, and managed to make it to her feet, despite the throbbing pain in her leg. "I'm right behind you, Devlin. Get him out of here!" She waved him toward the edge of camp, and he nodded reluctantly, turning to drag the semi-conscious wizard away.

Kahlan followed, limping heavily. As they approached the last tents, another group of D'Haran soldiers sprang out between Kahlan and the others. Two turned to face Devlin, and the remaining three turned toward Kahlan.

Kahlan pushed herself forward, trying to take the initiative and finish them quickly so she could help Devlin. But even though her leg was holding up now as the pain from the agiel was fading, she still couldn't move as quickly as she wanted. The nearest soldier swung at her, and instead of dodging the swing as she would have normally, she had to block it with her dagger, and the shock of the blow numbed her arm to the elbow. She was able to stab the soldier in the throat, though, and one of the others tripped over his body as he fell. The remaining soldier didn't even bother to swing--he tackled her, and landed hard on top of her as she hit the ground.

Kahlan felt the air leave her lungs with a whoosh, and felt her daggers fall from her grip. She gasped, trying to recover. The soldier was trying to draw his own dagger, and she reached for his arm, trying to push it away. The second soldier came up next to them, his sword raised to strike, and she grabbed his leg and let her power flow. The soldier froze, and Kahlan felt even more overwhelmingly tired than she had before, something she hadn't thought possible. The soldier on top of her wrenched his dagger out of its sheath, and rose to his knees, straddling her, poised to strike.

The newly-Confessed soldier drove a sword through him, and he fell off her to the side. Kahlan lay there, gasping for air, as her soldier knelt next to her. "My lady," he said. "Are you all right?"

Kahlan didn't answer at first, trying to get air enough to talk. "Help…my friends," she was able to choke out, nodding toward Devlin, who was trying to hold off the two D'Harans while the other Resistance fighters staggered toward the trees half-carrying Zedd.

He immediately turned and ran to attack the other D'Harans. Kahlan struggled to her feet—_again_, she thought—grabbed the daggers she'd dropped, and followed him. _Try to stay on your feet for a while_, she told herself. Her soldier had taken one of the D'Harans from behind, running him through, and turned to help Devlin finish off the other one.

Zedd and his rescuers were into the trees, and Kahlan couldn't see them anymore in the pale pre-dawn light. "Come on," Kahlan said to Devlin. "We need to get out of here, fast." Devlin nodded, grabbing her arm, and she was grateful for the support. They stumbled awkwardly toward the trees, moving faster when the Confessed soldier grabbed her other arm. Kahlan almost lost her footing when the soldier jolted forward, falling with an arrow in his back. Then they were in the trees, and the horses were only a few yards away.

It took Kahlan two tries to mount her horse, she was still so shaky, but she made it, and set off at a gallop, just behind Devlin and the others. _Richard_, Kahlan thought, trying to send him a message somehow, _we're safe. Get out of there_.

**********

Richard hadn't needed to say it twice. The men broke and ran, barely maintaining any order in their retreat. Richard cut at another soldier who was about to hit one of the retreating Resistance fighters. _Kahlan was right_, he thought briefly, _it is too far to the trees_. The thought of her reminded him of the danger she was in, and he felt a flutter of fear. But it was drowned out almost immediately by another surge of anger he couldn't understand that spurred him to hammer another soldier with the hilt of his sword before cutting his throat on his backswing.

He held back long enough to see the last of his men into the line of trees, keeping the D'Harans at bay for a crucial few moments. Then he turned and fled into the treeline himself, and realized as he did that there were archers in the trees firing at the D'Harans chasing him. A few started to follow, but quickly gave up the chase, their taste for fighting the Seeker fading fast in the face of the hail of arrows.

Richard hesitated, struggling to suppress the urge to turn and continue the fight, still feeling the unaccountable rage. But he finally started for the rendezvous point, careful to be sure they weren't followed and weren't leaving a trail. And hoping in spite of himself that one of the D'Harans tried to follow him.


	7. Chapter 7

Promethean Heat, Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Still not mine, so I can't be held responsible for what happens next. Trust me. That's all I'm sayin'. Just trust me.

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"Kahlan!" Anson called, catching sight of the Confessor ahead of him. He spurred his horse to catch up to her. They were approaching the rendezvous point, much to his relief.

Kahlan turned in her saddle, pulling her horse up enough for him to come even with her. She smiled at him tiredly, then frowned, looking around. "Where are the rest of your men?"

"Don't worry," he said. "After we fell back, I sent them around the other way to give Richard some extra support."

Kahlan looked relieved. "Good idea. How many did we lose?" she asked after a moment's pause, and it was clear she was bracing for bad news.

"Two," he said, "at least that's all from my group. I hope Richard's group fared better."

Kahlan nodded. "Two's bad enough," she said sadly. "I'm sorry, Anson."

"I know," he said, and looked up as they approached the clearing.

Kahlan spurred her horse forward to where Zedd was lying on the grass. She almost fell as she dismounted, forgetting how badly her leg still hurt. "Zedd!" she said, kneeling next to him.

"Kahlan?" he said, and he sounded confused.

"It's me, Zedd. Are you all right?" she asked worriedly.

"I'll live," he said. "I may not enjoy it for a while, but I'll live. Where's Richard?"

"Here," Richard called from his horse as he rode up. He jumped down to join Kahlan at Zedd's side. Kahlan reached out to him, squeezing his shoulder. "It's good to see you, Zedd," he said roughly, ignoring Kahlan.

"Thank you, my boy," Zedd said weakly. "I owe you two a tongue-lashing for coming after me, but I'm grateful enough to be alive, I might just forego it this time."

"We should get him back to the camp," Kahlan said. "He needs a healer."

"So do you, Kahlan," Anson said. He'd seen her pain as she'd dismounted.

She waved him off. "I'm fine," she said. But Anson noticed her favoring her leg as they helped Zedd up onto a horse.

"Don't worry," Devlin said to him as they rode toward the camp. "I'll make sure the healer takes a look at her. She took quite a beating back there." He smiled admiringly at her back as she rode close to Zedd, ready to help him if he faltered. "I've never seen anything like it," he said, and told Anson about her battle with the Mord Sith.

Anson's eyes widened as he listened. He'd been impressed with her skill before, but to survive an encounter with a Mord Sith? And not only that, but to have defeated one? "She's a remarkable woman," he said reverently.

Devlin looked over at his friend perceptively. _No wonder Richard was worried about him_, he thought. _He's got it bad. But then again, I think we're all a little bit in love with her._ But that wasn't the sort of thing he was going to tell Richard.

Later that evening, after they had gotten Zedd into the healer's tent, they sat quietly around the campfire. The healer had been reassuring, and Zedd himself had told them not to worry. But they were still too wound up from the day to try to sleep. Richard had been uncharacteristically quiet, Kahlan had noticed, but she put it down to his concern over Zedd.

"Kahlan, are you all right?" Anson asked worriedly after watching Kahlan wince yet again as she shifted uncomfortably to lean against a log by the fire.

"I'm fine," she said, but she didn't sound particularly convincing to him.

"That's it. I'm going to go get the healer," he said, standing up and heading toward Zedd's tent. Kahlan thought for a moment about stopping him, then decided that a visit from the healer couldn't hurt. _At least not worse than I hurt already_, she thought wryly. That soldier who'd tackled her must have weighed twenty stone. She realized now what a luxury it had been to have Zedd there to heal them when they were done with battles in the past.

Richard watched Anson go, a look of disgust on his face. He turned back to her. "You'd think you'd Confessed him, he's so ready to do your bidding," he said. "Or did you do something else to him?"

Kahlan stared at him, unable to comprehend what he'd just said. "Is this about making you leave Zedd behind in the first place?" she asked, starting to get annoyed. "Because given how things turned out, I think it was the right decision."

"This has nothing to do with Zedd," he said. "This is about you."

Kahlan sighed. "Richard, I spent the morning fighting a Mord Sith." She looked across the fire at him. "I'm too tired to figure out what it is you're angry about."

His lips tightened. "Oh, so you're going to throw that in my face, too? That he's the one who saved you, and I didn't?"

"Saved--?" _That's it,_ she thought._ I'm done talking to him tonight_. She stood up painfully, glaring at him. "As if I needed saving by anybody," she snapped, and turned on her heel, stalking out of the camp and into the woods, puzzling over his comment as she left. _ Nobody saved me! _she thought, her pride stung_. Where did he get that idea?_

Anson came back to the fire to find Richard poking at it savagely with a stick. "Where's Kahlan going?" he asked.

Richard ignored him.

"The healer asked me to bring her to Zedd's tent so he can make sure she's okay," Anson said, trying to keep his voice neutral. "Devlin said that Mord Sith almost killed her today, Richard."

"Why are you so concerned about her?" Richard asked him, and even though his voice was quiet, there was something threatening in it.

Anson looked at him, trying to decide how to respond. "Your quest is important to all of us, Richard," he said finally. "And she's important to you. Why wouldn't I care about her?" When Richard didn't answer, Anson shook his head, and went to find Kahlan.

Kahlan was pacing back and forth in a small clearing just outside the camp. _What is wrong with him?_ she thought furiously. _After everything we went through today, after coming so close to losing it all, and all he can do is snipe at me?_ It was more than just the stress over Zedd, that was clear. They'd freed Zedd, but Richard was even worse now. They'd all been through a lot, but he couldn't even manage to ask if she was okay? _It just isn't like him._

And she realized that somehow that was the key. She stopped cold. _Any other time, __he'd__ have been the one going for the healer, he'd have been fussing over me, he'd…_

There was a snap of a twig, and Kahlan whirled, her hand reaching for her dagger before she realized it was Anson. _Oh_, she sighed inwardly, _not __now__. I know he means well, but his timing is terrible._

He raised his hands, smiling. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. You just seemed…upset. Are you all right?"

She nodded, looking away from him, not really wanting to talk about it. _I'm not even sure what's going on_, she thought tiredly, trying to regain her train of thought. There was something important…

Anson was looking at her in concern. "It's Richard," he said, "isn't it?"

Kahlan sighed in frustration, knowing she was too tired to think clearly. "I don't understand it," she said. "I don't know what I did that could make him so angry with me."

"Maybe it's not you," Anson said. "Maybe it's just all the strain you've both been under."

Kahlan shook her head. "It's more than just that--it's like he doesn't trust me. He said--" She stopped, realizing what she was about to say. Anson didn't deserve to be dragged into whatever was going on between her and Richard.

Anson frowned, stepping closer. "He doesn't think we--?" he started to say, but was interrupted by someone approaching. Anson turned to see who it was, and Kahlan stepped backwards, unnerved by the look on Richard's face.

"Excuse me for interrupting," he said, the torch he was holding casting disturbing shadows on his face, and there was a hard edge to his voice.

"You're not interrupting anything," Kahlan said steadily.

"Oh, really?" Richard said, and there was an uncharacteristic sneer in his voice.

"I…I think I'd better go," Anson said, looking uncertainly at Kahlan. She nodded, trying to tell him she'd be fine without saying it. She kept her eyes on Richard as Anson left the clearing. He looked sidelong at Anson, but his focus returned to her almost immediately.

"Richard, what's going on? Did I do something to hurt you?" she asked, trying to keep her anger under control.

He snorted. "I don't know," he snapped, jerking his head back towards where Anson had just left. "Did you?"

Kahlan frowned. "You can't think that I would--"

"Can't I?" he interrupted. "I saw the way you've been looking at him."

"What are you talking about?" Kahlan said, hurt by the accusation.

"Don't play innocent with me, Kahlan," he said, walking slowly toward her. "You're a terrible liar."

"I'm not lying, Richard," Kahlan said, a warning tone in her voice. _This isn't working_, she thought. _We can't have this conversation when he's this irrational_. "And I'm not going to listen to this anymore." She started past him toward the camp.

But he swung the torch down across her path, and she pulled back, stunned at his aggression. "You're not going anywhere," Richard said.


	8. Chapter 8

Promethean Heat, Chapter 8

Disclaimer and Warning: They still aren't mine. No flip comments this time, because there's even more unpleasant and out-of-character behavior ahead. Just know that I'm going somewhere with this.

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Anson walked back into the camp, frowning. He wanted to go back to check on Kahlan, make sure she was all right, but he didn't want to make things worse for her. He sighed in frustration.

"What's wrong, Anson?" Devlin said, coming up.

Anson looked at him, trying to decide what to tell him. _He knows them better than I do_, he thought. _Tell him everything_. "It's Richard. I went after Kahlan to make sure she was okay, and Richard followed us."

Devlin had a bad feeling, remembering Richard's previous outburst.

"Devlin, I think he…he thinks Kahlan and I--" Anson started, but couldn't finish the thought. "We aren't, I swear it!" he added, knowing that his behavior hadn't exactly helped the situation. "Not that I don't have my fantasies, but you know how she feels about him. He's all she talks about! Besides, she's a Confessor. I was only flirting! I'd have to be crazy to follow through on any of it!"

"I know, Anson. I know," Devlin said, smiling inwardly at the thought of his own fantasies. _You'd have to be dead not to have thoughts about that woman_, he thought. "Nobody will fault you."

"The Seeker would," Anson said. "But it's not me I'm worried about. It's her." He swallowed. "The look on his face scared me, Devlin."

Devlin shook his head in frustration. "This isn't like Richard at all," he said, frowning in confusion. The confusion faded, slowly replaced by worry. He looked up at Anson. "Come with me. We need to talk to Zedd."

**********

"Richard," she said, stepping away from the flaming torch in front of her, "stop this."

He advanced on her, the torch dangerously close to her. "No, you're going to tell me exactly what you've been doing with him."

"I haven't been doing anything with him," Kahlan said emphatically. "What is wrong with you?"

"I've been a fool," he said, stepping forward again, forcing her back against a tree. "I should have seen it before."

"Seen what?" Kahlan said angrily, but as she said it, she saw a dangerous look in his eyes.

"Shota was right," he said, with a bitter smile.

"What are you saying?" Kahlan gasped, feeling like she'd been kicked in the stomach, and all her anger was gone in an instant, replaced by hurt.

"She said you'd betray me, and you did." The torch came closer, and Kahlan ducked to the side, away from the heat.

"Richard, no," she said, stumbling backwards away from the tree, trying to think of a way to reach him. "I haven't betrayed you. I haven't! I don't know what's happening to you, but you have to believe--"

"Liar." He spat the word.

"What? No!" Kahlan felt unsteady, rocked by the barrage of accusations. "Richard, I--"

"Liar!" he shouted, his face livid. Kahlan had never seen him like this, not even after his father had been killed. "You told me you loved me!" He advanced on her aggressively.

"Richard," Kahlan said desperately, backing away from him, and she realized she was actually afraid of him at that moment. _This isn't him_, she thought, shaken. _Something's wrong_. "I didn't lie, I meant it--"

**********

Zedd looked up at Anson, baffled. "So you think Richard's jealous?"

Anson nodded. "I don't think there's any other explanation."

"But…why?" Zedd said. "Kahlan would never--"

"You know it, and I know it, but Richard seems to have lost sight of that," Devlin said. "And I'm beginning to wonder why."

There was something in his tone that made Zedd frown. "You mean magic?" he said slowly.

Devlin nodded. "Is it possible?"

"Well, yes, of course it's possible," Zedd said. "It's not even that difficult. Jealousy and anger are some of the easiest emotions to augment. Even a third-rate wizard…" He stopped, remembering the weasel-faced man who'd freed his fingers in that tent. He'd had an air of magic about him, feeble, yes, but definitely there. And with the way Richard's connection with the Sword of Truth fed off strong emotions… _That pathetic excuse for a sorcerer did more damage than I could have imagined_, he thought. _I wish I'd killed him when I had the chance_.

Zedd struggled tiredly to his feet, and Devlin sprang to help him. "Where are they?" Zedd said to Anson.

**********

Richard lunged forward, grabbed Kahlan's arm and pulled her to him, his face inches from hers. "You meant it?" he spat, and she winced at the anger behind his words more than the pain of his hand clenching her arm. "Like you meant it when you said it to him?"

Kahlan looked at him, unable to comprehend what he was saying. _He really thinks I--_ "Richard, I never--"

He shook her. "I heard him!" he roared. "He said he loves you! And that you love him!"

Kahlan felt cold settle in her stomach. _He's not even connected to reality anymore, _she thought, and suddenly realized what was going on._ This is some sort of spell_. "No, Richard, no! That never happened!" But he wasn't listening. Kahlan's heart sank. "Richard, please," she pleaded, "He never said that. I never told him anything. I could never love anyone but--"

He backhanded her across the face, and Kahlan fell hard, her head ringing.

**********

_Author's Note: This scene freaked me out a little when I wrote it, so forgive me. But it was right for the story. This is not intended to diminish domestic violence in any way. I tried to write it without it, and it just didn't work._


	9. Chapter 9

Promethean Heat, Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Oh, how I wish they were mine, but they aren't. Be brave.

****************************************************************************

Zedd staggered through the forest, supported by Devlin and Anson, debating what to do. He had to find Richard and Kahlan before something terrible happened. But he wasn't sure he had enough strength right now to enchant a flea, let alone break a spell like he suspected had hold of Richard.

"It's not much farther," Anson said, worried about how heavily the wizard was leaning on him. "What will we do when we get there?"

"Well, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be seen," Devlin said. "If he's already this angry…"

Anson nodded. "But what about Kahlan?"

Zedd didn't answer.

**********

Kahlan lay on her side, eyes closed, and for a moment she was a child again, listening to Dennee cry as her father stood over her.

Then she remembered it was Richard standing over her, and that was worse. Far worse. _What is happening? _She didn't move, feeling blood in her mouth, but she was stunned less by the blow than by the knowledge of who had delivered it. She finally looked up, and Richard was staring down at her, his eyes wide, and for a moment she thought, _It's him_. _He's in there_.

But whatever it was she'd seen, it was gone an instant later, and the look that replaced it was hard and cold. _No, Richard, no! Please, come back. _She heard the rasp of metal on leather, and she realized he'd drawn the Sword of Truth. He held it above her.

"If I can't have you, then no one can," Richard said venomously.

Kahlan rolled to her back, propped on her elbows, trying to think, to understand what was happening, but nothing made sense. "Richard--"

"Shut up!" he shouted, and pointed the sword at her, the tip dangerously close. Kahlan tried to crawl backwards, but he kept advancing. "Every word is a lie!"

"Richard, stop this madness!" Zedd shouted from behind him. Richard turned to look at Zedd as he came into the clearing, leaning heavily on Devlin.

"Stay out of this, Zedd," Richard said, his voice a feral growl.

"Richard, Kahlan is innocent," Zedd said quietly, edging forward carefully, his eyes on the sword at Kahlan's throat. "She loves you. She's always loved you."

"Lies!" Richard shouted. "I heard what he said!"

"None of that was real!" Zedd said harshly, hoping to lead him back to reality. "Richard, what's happening here isn't her fault. And it isn't yours, either."

"What are you talking about, wizard?!" Richard snapped. "She betrayed me!" He turned to look back at her. "She deserves a traitor's death!"

There was nothing of Richard in his eyes, and the hope that had flared in Kahlan when Zedd arrived faded. "Then kill me," she whispered.

"Kahlan, no!" Zedd said.

But Richard looked momentarily confused. "What?" he said.

Kahlan looked up at him, and there was no anger, no fear in her eyes. Only infinite hurt. "If you really believe that of me, then whatever love you had for me is gone. And I can't live without it."

"More lies," he said, but this time it didn't have the bitter hate in it. He sounded uncertain.

"I mean it, Richard." She leaned forward so the sword was touching her throat. "Please," she whispered, and she wasn't sure what she was asking him to do.

He didn't move, but the sword at her throat wavered slightly. Behind him, Zedd was murmuring something Kahlan couldn't make out, but it didn't matter. Her eyes were locked on Richard's, and something was happening, she could see it. The darkness behind his eyes seemed different somehow. The moment stretched, seconds turning into hours, as she felt the edge of the sword at her throat, and she held her breath.

There was a sensation, like the ringing of a bell, only without sound, and Richard seemed to be surrounded for an instant in green light. Then it was gone, and the clearing was silent except for the ragged sound of Richard's breathing.

Richard swallowed, blinking, the Sword of Truth falling from his hand, and a look of revulsion came over his face. "Kahlan," he whispered, looking first at her, then at his hand. "What…what did I do?" He stumbled backwards, dropping the torch at her feet. He looked at Zedd, who was lowering his hands to his side, exhausted, then turned back to Kahlan. There was a spot of blood on the corner of her mouth. Richard's eyes widened in horror as he realized what it meant. He made a strangled sound, turned, and ran headlong into the forest.

Kahlan watched him disappear into the darkness, part of her longing to go after him, and part of her wanting to run the other way. Instead, she lay there, spent, and looked across the clearing at Zedd. He came to her, bending to pick up the sword, turning to hand it to Devlin behind him when he noticed her recoil from it. "It's all right," he said gently, holding out his hand to her. "It's over."

She stared up at him, unable to feel anything. She'd been prepared to die, actually wanted to die, moments ago, and now… _What?_ she thought. _What do I do now?_

"Kahlan," Zedd said, and he knelt down next to her. "It's all right. You're safe."

"All right?" she said, and felt the hollowness inside her filling with an almost unbearable ache. "Zedd, he wanted to kill me. How can it be all right?"

**********


	10. Chapter 10

Promethean Heat, Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Still not mine. The not-so-big finish. Thanks for suffering through the angst with me, especially to all who reviewed!

****************************************************************************

Kahlan sat in front of the fire, feeling the awful combination of nervous energy and exhaustion she'd felt after Richard's mother died at Denna's hands. As then, she wanted to do something, anything, to make things right. But even though there was nothing to be done, she couldn't stop thinking about it, her mind running in circles.

Zedd had collapsed soon after they got back to camp, and was sleeping now. She was worried about him, but the healer said he'd recover given time. _I hope the same is true for us_, Kahlan thought.

Devlin came back into the camp, looking almost as tired as she felt, but when she looked at him, he shook his head. Wherever Richard had gone, Devlin couldn't find him. _Spirits, guide him, please_, she prayed silently.

Devlin watched her for a moment, wishing he could do something to help, but knowing there was only one person who could hope to do that. _And only the spirits know where he is_, he thought sadly. He slipped away, leaving her alone by the fire.

A long time later, the fire was beginning to die down, but Kahlan couldn't seem to muster the energy to get wood to feed it. _I wish I could sleep_, she thought for the thousandth time that night, but there was no hope of that.

Richard hovered at the edge of the camp, watching Kahlan by the fire. _Thank the spirits she's alone_, he thought, knowing he couldn't stand to face the accusing faces of the rest of their friends. But somehow he still couldn't bring himself to approach her. She looked so sad, her head bowed as she sat quietly in front of the dying fire.

_Go to her_, he told himself. But it had been hard just to make it this far. He'd run through the forest for who knew how long, running away from the horrible shame he felt at what he'd done to her. It was only the thought of her never knowing how sorry he was that gave him the strength to come back. But now that he was so close, he felt frozen in fear. _You have to face this. It's that or live without her. Which wouldn't be living_.

He took a step forward, then another, each one an enormous effort. _Stop thinking about it. Just go._ "Kahlan," he said as he came up behind her.

Kahlan turned at the sound of his voice, saw him reaching out to her, and she flinched at the sight of his hand coming toward her, pulling back instinctively.

Richard yanked his hand back as if he'd been burned, and Kahlan knew she couldn't have hurt him more if she'd beaten him the way she'd beaten Denna at his command. She closed her eyes, wishing with every part of her that she could take that involuntary movement back.

"I…" He stopped, stepping back, trying to speak past the thickness in his throat. "I'm so sorry, Kahlan." For a moment, Kahlan was afraid he'd run away again, but he stood his ground. _He's so brave_, she thought. _That's one of the things I love about him_. "The things I said…what I did…I didn't mean…" He stopped, searching for words. "I couldn't think, all I could feel was--"

"Don't," Kahlan stopped him, knowing what he'd felt. She'd seen it. "It wasn't your fault," she said, looking deep into his eyes, trying to show him she didn't blame him, despite her instinctive reaction a moment earlier.

_How can she forgive me?_ Richard thought, marveling at her kindness. _After what I did, knowing what her father did to her_… And then he noticed the bruise that was darkening the side of her jaw. "I hurt you," he whispered, and he hated himself for it.

"Richard, please," she said quietly. "Don't do this to yourself. This was magic--one of Rahl's pet wizards, Zedd says. It's not your fault."

"I should have known. I should have been strong enough to stop it."

"No one could have stopped it. Zedd thinks the spell was augmented by the Sword of Truth and your connection to it. Each time you used it in battle, the spell grew stronger." Kahlan looked up at him, willing him to understand. "Richard, I don't blame you. I couldn't."

Richard looked steadily at her, a ghost of a smile on his face, but it was bitter. "Rahl really knows how to get to us, doesn't he?" he said.

She nodded sadly.

Richard took a deep breath. "Which means we have to find a way to get past this. Because I can't do this without you."

She looked up at him, and there was a hint of hope in her eyes. "Neither can I," she said.

Richard came closer and sat down near the fire, but he seemed very careful to keep a respectful distance from her. "So what do we do now?" he said, staring into the fire, and there was a roughness to his voice that made her look closely at him. The fading firelight reflected off unshed tears in his eyes.

"I…" Kahlan started, and the words seemed stuck in her throat. She swallowed, trying to master her emotions. "I don't know."

"Well," Richard said after staring into the fire a long time, "I know this for certain. I wouldn't feel this much pain if I didn't love you. Really love you," he repeated emphatically. He looked over at her, meeting her eyes, and there was a plea in his look. "Maybe that's the best place to start."

She smiled at him softly. "I can live with that," she said, and reached out to take his hand.

_Fin_


End file.
